Taiwan strengthens island defenses and artillery tactics

Taiwan is intensifying its military preparations to defend its frontline territories and improve artillery survivability against modern battlefield threats.

On the Penghu Islands, a strategically vital cluster located approximately 50 kilometers off Taiwan’s southwest coast, troops are conducting training to prepare for potential Chinese incursions. Security experts note that holding Penghu is critical for resisting an invasion fleet; if the islands fall, the Taiwan Strait could effectively come under Chinese control. To deter the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), Taiwan is deploying longer-range weapons, such as Hsiung Feng III missiles, to target enemy forces even before they depart the Chinese coast.

Simultaneously, the Taiwanese military is conducting live-fire drills in Hsinchu to address the threat of hostile drone reconnaissance. Using M110A2 203 mm and M109A2 self-propelled howitzers, artillery units are practicing rapid occupation and displacement of firing positions. This tactical shift aims to ensure heavy firepower remains mobile and survivable in an increasingly transparent battlespace where enemy sensors can easily locate stationary targets.